Merrifieldia tridactyla
Encyclopedia
Merrifieldia tridactyla is a moth
of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe
, as well as North Africa
and Asia Minor
.
The wingspan
is 18-23 mm. Adults are on wing from June to July in western Europe.
The larvae feed on Thymus
species (including Thymus serpyllum and Thymus vulgaris
) and Mentha
species in Europe. In Saudi Arabia, larvae have been recorded feeding on the fruits of Cucurbita moschata
. The young larvae nibble the fruit skin, but older larvae eat large areas in the fruit, causing discoloration and surface dryness. Pupation usually takes place on the upper-surface of the leaf.
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the Pterophoridae family. It is known from most of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, as well as North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
.
The wingspan
Wingspan
The wingspan of an airplane or a bird, is the distance from one wingtip to the other wingtip. For example, the Boeing 777 has a wingspan of about ; and a Wandering Albatross caught in 1965 had a wingspan of , the official record for a living bird.The term wingspan, more technically extent, is...
is 18-23 mm. Adults are on wing from June to July in western Europe.
The larvae feed on Thymus
Thymus
The thymus is a specialized organ of the immune system. The thymus produces and "educates" T-lymphocytes , which are critical cells of the adaptive immune system....
species (including Thymus serpyllum and Thymus vulgaris
Thymus vulgaris
Thymus vulgaris or common thyme is a low growing herbaceous plant, sometimes becoming somewhat woody. It is native to southern Europe, where it is often cultivated as a culinary herb....
) and Mentha
Mentha
Mentha is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae . The species are not clearly distinct and estimates of the number of species varies from 13 to 18. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally...
species in Europe. In Saudi Arabia, larvae have been recorded feeding on the fruits of Cucurbita moschata
Cucurbita moschata
Cucurbita moschata is a species originating in either Central America or northern South America. It includes varieties of squash and pumpkin. C. moschata varieties are generally more tolerant of hot, humid weather than C. maxima or C. pepo. They also generally display a greater...
. The young larvae nibble the fruit skin, but older larvae eat large areas in the fruit, causing discoloration and surface dryness. Pupation usually takes place on the upper-surface of the leaf.
External links
- Fauna Europaea
- http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:Ed_YZLkx-uoJ:digital.library.ksu.edu.sa/V6M88R1475.pdf+Merrifieldia+tridactyla&hl=nl&gl=nl&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgXZBdG2HQ49H9X3Qh1QpNxp4b8VN9_5FetXgg1W14FxeAKLP24qkpnDyL7jCvWZfZVy8bFzAk88BO9HgW2ThZhDaJPp6C9kqHh2Xhobur7m1NteEYEErOsdcPz7ONl_aAJF2-I&sig=AHIEtbTxM_z8f5-WHRwd51bFGcD2zl9dHAFirst Record of a Pterophorid Moth, Merrifieldia tridactyla, Causing Damage to Long Guard Fruits Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae) in Saudi Arabia]
- UKmoths